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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28221375">Where the Love Light Gleams</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberian/pseuds/Siberian'>Siberian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Wolf (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Christmas, M/M, Secret Santa, Spoilers, Steter Secret Santa 2020, When in Doubt-Contact Author for Full List of Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:07:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,072</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28221375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberian/pseuds/Siberian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They couldn't be together for the holidays. He didn't think it would bother him so much.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Where the Love Light Gleams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuckB/gifts">PuckB</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I would like to dedicate this to Puck. It was written as a gift and I'm hoping it will be enjoyed. I was actually inspired to write this story while writing the initial gift. I was listening to Christmas music, a different song ironically, when I thought of 'I'll Be Home for Christmas'. As I'm sure most of you guessed, that inspired this shorter fic. I do include a mention of the song but it's not a song fic. To give credit, where credit is due, the name of the fic is in the song. I also have one character say (not sing) one of the lyrics. This does contain two spoilers, specifically the Sheriff's name and Stiles' potential future occupation. It's set sometime in the future when Stiles is legal. There is mention of the pack but it's relatively minor. I've rated it Teen for some Romance. By way of warnings, we have Angst. I think that should cover it. Enjoy!</p><p>Special Side Note: I ran into a little trouble when creating my gift. I kept getting ideas that would be too long to finish in time. Normally that wouldn't be an issue but I'm pressed for time this holiday season. That being said, I felt a little like my gift wasn't long enough. So...I wrote another story. This story. It isn't connected in any way to the first one and it's only about 1k in length. Still, it's also part of my Secret Santa gift. I hope that's cool. The first, longer, gift can be found here... <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28221192">A Little Christmas Magic…or is it a Little Magic at Christmas</a></p><p>Come join me on <a href="https://siberianthewriter.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~</p><p>He stood at the window unmoving. It was Christmas Eve. The hour was late enough that it was almost Christmas Day. There was no one on the street below. Considering the time, it wasn’t surprising. He should probably go to bed. All he was doing was torturing himself, wallowing in self-pity truthfully. It didn’t matter how much he wished Stiles was home. He had to work. There was nothing they could do. Eventually they knew this would happen. The FBI put agents on rotation for holidays. This way every year a different group of Agents got the holiday off. </p><p>What made it worse though was that his boyfriend was out on assignment. They weren’t even in the same state. This would be the first time since the start of their relationship that they weren’t together during Christmas. It was hitting him harder than he’d expected. As much as he complained, he’d always loved family holidays. They helped him to feel connected to those he loved. After his parents died that was something he’d struggled with. For some reason, the holidays just seemed to make it easier. Of all of their gatherings, he’d always loved Christmas the most. </p><p>He didn’t have to be alone. He knew that. The pack was throwing a party tomorrow and Noah had invited him over while Stiles was gone. Although he didn’t accept the overnight invitation there was no getting out of the party. It would upset his boyfriend to know he’d spent the entire holiday alone. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and navigated into his text messages. The latest text from Stiles was the most recent in his list. With a press, he opened up the thread. </p><p>Instead of reading the message, his gaze locked on the link that had been sent. It was to a video of the song ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas.’ He teared up at thinking of one of the lyrics in particular. For seemingly no reason, the segment slipped past his lips. “I’ll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams.” Feeling foolish suddenly, he resecured his phone and looked back up toward the window. In a surreptitious motion, his hand lifted to wipe away his gathering tears. It managed to clear up his blurry vision but left his eyes feeling a little damp. </p><p>The video had been sent to offer him comfort. They might not be together. That didn’t mean that Stiles wasn’t with him anyway. As much as he knew that, it was still hard to see his boyfriend’s presents resting underneath the tree. The thought of waking up to an empty bed was unbearable. There was a chime at his back. On the far wall in the corner, an antique grandfather clock announced it was now officially Christmas Day. He looked down unseeingly as the gong sounded in the empty room. When it fell silent, his eyes fell closed softly. The tears he didn’t want to acknowledge started to make a reappearance. </p><p>There was suddenly the sound a key in the lock. He quickly turned around, his eyebrows pulling down with his confusion. In his chest hope wanted to flare to life. As hard as it was, he kept it tamped down. A few of the pack had spare keys. Although it seemed unlikely that anyone in the sizeable group would be here this late there was always a chance it could be one of them with a crisis. It might even be Noah checking in. He’d had the Sheriff worried about his solitude. That said a lot about how far he’d come in his relationship with Stiles. </p><p>He held his breath as the door swung open. The intent gaze he had on the doorway had his visitor coming to a stop. They stared at one another for a moment, seemingly frozen in place. It was the tears starting to fill his lover’s beautiful eyes that had him stuttering out a response. “You’re home. I don’t…I don’t understand.” The words produced a shaky smile even as a tear streaked down Stiles’ face. “The case is closed. We got the bad guy. I was told I could go home. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make in time for Christmas but I had to try. I drove all night.” </p><p>He was moving before he realized what he was doing. When his boyfriend started forward as well, his quick steps turned into a run. As soon as they were within arm’s reach of each other, he pulled Stiles into a crushing hug. They both grasped at one another like they’d been separated for years. “I missed you so much, Peter. I hated not being here.” The words softly whispered into his ears had him closing his eyes tightly. Turning his head minutely, he rubbed their cheeks together a few times. When he eventually spoke, his voice sounded unsteady. “I missed you too.” </p><p>They pulled apart a little long minutes later. At first all they did was look at one another. The dampness on his boyfriend’s face had him lifting a hand and using his thumb to brush away the tear tracks. When Stiles did the same, he was almost surprised. He hadn’t realized he’d been crying. For some reason, that had him smiling widely. Whether it was in relief or joy, he couldn’t say for sure. The smile had the other man smiling softly in return. When he spoke, his voice was steeped in sincerity. “Welcome home.” Not waiting for a response, he leaned closer to give Stiles a soft kiss. </p><p>The gentle touch was brief but he didn’t want to abandon their closeness. It led him to tipping forward a little, pressing their foreheads together lightly. They stayed that way for a few moments, holding tight to one another and breathing in the same breath. When the touch did change, it was to find them falling back into a hug. It was there that they rested for a long time. They were chest to chest, wrapped tightly around one another and each of them burrowed into the other’s shoulder. It truly did feel like coming home. Eventually they pulled away enough to head to bed. As they moved, they walked arm in arm, pressed close to each other’s side. The bright morning sun outside the wide windows was just turning the sky gold when the bedroom door closed softly behind them.</p><p>The End</p>
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